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May 22, 2013

One of the largest challenges of music festivals is that you can't see every band on the lineup. Unless you want to jump around frantically seeing one or two songs of each artist from the back of the crowd, you are guaranteed to miss some great music. Sasquatch, the greatest festival of the Northwest, has their fair share of set-time conflicts and we are here to offer our help. Here are our suggestions for who to see when the choices get tough. Click the image to zoom in.

For all those Sasquatch rookies out there, here's a little info about the fest, where to be, and what to avoid.

The Acoustic Tent

For the past few years, one of my favorite places has been the Acoustic Tent, situated right in the middle of the festival grounds. Simply by scanning a bar code with your smart phone and entering your e-mail address, you can win access to the tent for the whole day. Many bands, before they perform their full sets, stop by the tent to play for 15 minutes or so to about a hundred lucky fans. I've been able to catch intimate shows from The Decemberists, Alabama Shakes, Givers, Foster The People, Flogging Molly and Fitz and the Tantrums. Keep an eye out this year for how to gain entry. It's well worth your while.

The Walk

For Sasquatch first-timers, keep something in mind. If your favorite band is playing at 1:30, don't leave you tent at 1:25. The walk, from the average camping site into the festival, can take up to 20 minutes in crowds. And that won't be a happy 20 minutes if you miss bands you want to see. Just by entering the festival a little early, you might be surprised by some bands you don't know yet, and you have a greater chance of getting in the prized acoustic tent.

The Stages:

Sasquatch Stage

The Sasquatch Stage, of course, is where the big guys play. This festival has a unique feature here though: the view. While watching any group perform at this stage, you will have the pleasure of seeing the beautiful Columbia River in the background. If you're tired, I recommend setting down a blanket on one of the amphitheater's grassy ledges and camping out to watch great act after great act. For those of you who need to be close to the stage, luckily, the main stage at Sasquatch due to its size and layout, is very easily accessible. It is often very easy to get a great spot for some awesome bands.

Bigfoot Stage

The Bigfoot Stage is the second largest stage at The Gorge, and this year, will host Vampire Weekend, Primus, Empire Of The Sun, Rusko, Grimes, Alt-J, and many more. Situated right near the entrance to the fest, Bigfoot is a great place to catch a glimpse of an act you're unfamiliar with on your way in or out of the grounds.

Yeti Stage

The Yeti Stage is a very intimate stage, which means it is a great place to go if you want a great view of some of the smaller bands on the bill. This year, Killer Mike, Shad, Surfer Blood, Shovels & Rope, Youth Lagoon, and many more will grace this little stage with their presence.

El Chupacabra

El Chupacabra, formerly known as the Banana Shack, is a large tented stage that is reserved for electronic acts and comedy. The innovative lighting rigs always make it a perfect place to dance the night away and the shade allows attendees to relax if they want to break up the constant music with a few laughs. This year, Steve Aoki, Disclosure, Laidback Luke, Baauer, Baths, Nick Offerman, Mike Birbiglia, and more will pay a visit to the tent.

Cthulhu

This stage is in its second year in 2013. The sole purpose of the Cthulhu Stage is to get young Northwest hip-hop artists attention. With Seattle hip-hop bigger than ever these days thanks to Macklemore, dozens of other artists are waiting in the wings. Nacho Picasso, Brothers From Another, Knowmads, Tilson XOXO, and other locals will be hoping to build some buzz after their performance at The Gorge.

Most importantly, relax, have fun, and enjoy all the great things Sasquatch has to offer.

May 17, 2013

Flint, Michigan is not the kind of city that births happy songs. It is one of the places hardest hit by the recession and has one of the highest crime rates in the nation. Native Jeremy Quentin has since moved to Pennsylvania, but the melancholy of a devastated town still haunts his music, released under the moniker Small Houses. It is that innate sadness that drives his gorgeous folk-country single, "Oh, Hiding Out," a song about leaving home and the good and bad that comes with it. This one is truly a beauty. Enjoy.

May 15, 2013

And they're back! Two Trees, one of our Groups To Watch in 2013, has been dormant for a while with only two released songs leaving us wanting much much more. The other day, they finally gave us a bit more of a taste with their third track, "Home." True to form, it is soothing, gently mystifying, and again, a great acoustic folk track. Keep it coming!

May 11, 2013

It's free ticket time! We have a pair of tickets to see The Staves in Boston on May 20th and they're up for grabs!

The Staves consist of three lovely British gals who soothe with their folky harmonies, and kick-ass in their wild-wild-West music videos. After a fall tour had them opening for Bon Iver in Europe, they are embarking on a headlining trek across the States. In case you missed it, their debut album, Dead & Born & Grown, made an appearance on our Best of 2012 List! In case that doesn't have you convinced, they will be playing at the intimate Cafe 939, a fantastic venue for seeing some of the most exciting up and coming acts passing through Boston.

May 08, 2013

M83-"Oblivion"
Anthony Gonzales is very familiar with epic soundscapes. On his latest work, the soundtrack for the Tom Cruise movie Oblivion, shit gets big.

Juno Reactor-"Navras"
This song plays over the final credits of the Matrix trilogy, a truly epic franchise. If the first few seconds of frighteningly intense chorus bursts wasn't enough for you, the trippy world beats will convince you.

Tiësto-"Kaleidoscope (feat Jónsi)"
Trance producing-titan, Tiësto has dozens of huge tracks, but this one takes the cake when it comes to epic-ness. With a buildup that lasts two-thirds of the song, and the ethereal vocals of Jonsí, this was the perfect choice for track #1 on Kaleidoscope, the last album released under his name.

TNGHT-"Chimes"
These guys are the heaviest thing in music right now. This particular track is their simplest, and most effective in producing a bone-crushing wall of heaviness.

Infected Mushroom-"Vicious Delicious"
These psychedelic, Israeli techno dudes know how to mess with sound. This epic track of theirs has one of their largest builds and never lets up in seven minutes of heavy bass-thumpin'.